How to make a corporate video that doesn't suck

What is a Corporate Video?

A corporate video is a video shared in the public domain which focuses on your company, your culture and your employees as a whole (rather than specific product or services). It is also sometimes referred to as a “recruiting video.”

Why do you need a Corporate Video?

A corporate video is a prime HR tool to attract the best and brightest talent to your company. It will help you to...

Build brand credibility and trust by emphasizing your company’s history and employees

Provide a quicker way for your website visitors to digest information in a different format to just reading your website

Give you the opportunity to show the human side of your company, putting your employees' faces at the front of your brand

Connect on an emotional level with viewers

What approach to take?

There are various different approaches you can during your corporate video production. Funny, serious, viral, touching, inspiring, and many more - these can all be the correct approach, depending on what you want the impression you want your company to convey. Here are some simple steps to help you check off the most important things to remember!

85% of Facebook videos are watched without sound on

1. Think about the main message you want to convey

The main goal of the corporate video is to be an asset to the company by enabling it to increase the value of the company through effective communication and presentation. Your message must be simple and not include irrelevant information - KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid! Only include how many awards you’ve won, for example, if it’s part of a wider, human story. Other than that, your audience doesn’t want to hear your ‘impressive stats’ as figures are difficult to take in and aren’t particularly useful information to them!

The message should be a sentence that begins with what you want to communicate and ends with what you want your audience to remember. Then add to this idea a creative concept, because the creative concept is where it really comes to life. Here are some examples of creative corporate videos that will inspire you. Because even with the best production team, if the concept isn’t up to scratch, the video will be a failure.

Don’t try too hard.

Focus on one objective - write your script and then strip it back to the bare essentials, you don’t want an unnatural scripted storyline. The tip ‘don’t try too hard’ also goes for unnecessary visual effects. They will only distract from the information trying to convey to your viewers. If you appear as overly enthusiastic, this will come across as fake to your viewers. Appearing sincere will earn your future clients’ trust and you’ll also look more professional.

Don’t use corporate jargon.

You know what we mean… world-class, one of a kind, state of the art, breakthrough, etc… This is a waste of words and will add nothing to your corporate video.

Focus on the benefits for your customers.

The trick to creating a successful corporate video is creating one that resonates with customers. Listing features is informative, but it doesn’t help your audience see how your product or service is right for them. Illustrating the benefits is an effective approach. In other words, show, don’t tell.

2. Choose the right video format

Tell a story.

This will engage with the emotions of the viewer and hopefully puck on their heartstrings! Don’t tell them, but involve them by drawing them in with an enticing story. This format is the most flexible one to go for, as it opens up a lot of creative possibilities. However, it is riskier than using an interview format, because the audience might get bored if they don’t have another question to draw them in again.

Give your viewers examples. Tell your viewers what your company is about by telling them the changes you’ve made to people’s lives (this is much more powerful than talking about money!)

Be specific.

You should be able to summarise your video in one sentence, obviously, the video will be longer, but you should just have one aim. Give your video structure by hanging the narrative off one device. E.g. - an employee’s story, how the business started, or even something as broad as an emotion. Always link the narrative back to the original idea.

Tip: No matter which type of video you choose, adding subtitles will definitely maximise its impact on Youtube, Vimeo, Facebook, Instagram...

Don’t drag on.

After choosing the right format for its video, you’ll need to determine the length of it. The main aim of the video is not to have the longest video - it’s quality over quantity! Don’t let your video out-stay its welcome on the viewer's computer. A Youtube video should be 1-2 mins long, but between one and three minutes is a good rule of thumb! Nowadays, the pace and spread of information is so quick that our attention spans have never been so short. This means that once you’ve made a point, there’s no need to go on unnecessarily, as you will risk losing your audience.

3. Plan your shoot so that everything runs smoothly

Pitch to your audience

Work out who your audience is and what your main aims are before you film. Is it for your website, future clients? Is it promoting your business as a whole or just one part? The trick is to find something that resonates with clients so that you can tailor your video to those viewers. Here’s a great example of someone who’s thought about what they are saying and is engaging effectively with their audience:

Write a script

The first step is to write a script. That means, coming up with a scenario including technical breakdown and dialogues. It must include a numbered list containing the location, shoot type, shoot angle, camera movement and a brief description of each shot.

Choose your location carefully

Finding the right location can be a daunting task. The location you choose will depend on your project and your budget. If your chosen location is outdoors, beware of the weather and remember that there will be noises that are out of your control. Equally, if you decide to do your video in your office, beware of receiving calls halfway through your video!

You should also think about your use of close-ups... Close-ups tend to be better than wide shots as it helps the viewer focus on you and gives them someone or something to relate to.

Wear appropriate clothing

Wear what you would usually wear to work, this will give your viewers an idea of the type of company it is. If you are a law firm, for example, you might wear a suit, whereas if your company is a start-up you might be more likely to wear jeans (although if you usually wear sweatpants to work, maybe step it up a notch!) In this video, the presenter is appropriately dressed and it reflects the company:

Pick the right music

This is essential for creating an emotional connection with your audience. Use intro and end music; this will help you set the tone and keep your message cohesive. Also, don’t forget to glance at your budget beforehand to determine how much of this budget you can spend on music. This budget can vary considerably from creating an original jingle to paying a license fee to use one that’s already been made. Some sites, however, offer free music such as Dig CC Mixer, FreeMusicArchive, and SoundBlend. Here’s a video with a catchy backing track, which compliments the corporate video:

Don’t have bad sound quality

If your video is a ‘talking head’ style interview, then find a way to record the audio properly without background noise or echoes. No one enjoys poor sound quality videos and it makes you appear unprofessional. The sound quality in this video is excellent, everything can be heard clearly and it doesn’t distract from the main aim of the video:

Don’t have bad lighting

In the same vein as having bad sound quality, you may come across as unprofessional. In addition, it’s more difficult for your clients to engage with you if they can’t see your face properly.

Incorporate reviews

Testimonials from current happy clients is a powerful marketing tool! Providing real people with honest reviews will gain the viewers' trust and prove that your company works

Organize the pre-production meeting

Before the start of each production, it is customary to have a pre-production meeting with the parties concerned. This meeting works as a last-minute check to make sure nothing is forgotten.

Meero will take care of your corporate video

Producing corporate videos is a daunting challenge, it’s a long, tedious process and demands expertise. For this reason, you have to go through a professional video production agency. Meero will help you make the hard decisions, such as how you want your company to be perceived and will help to show the inner workings of your company, whilst simultaneously bringing your teams together.

Meero is a simple to use platform where you can book a corporate video shoot within seconds. All you need to do is book a date and time of your choice and Meero will take care of finding you a professional, reliable photographer anywhere in the world within 24 hours. Your photos and videos are made to order, with Meero taking care of all of the post-production work.

Meero offers a variety of services tailored to your personal needs. This includes videos for corporate events, seminars, and conferences, business video reports, client testimonial videos, as well as on-demand requests, such as new office space and product videos. Meero, an efficient, practical, turnkey solution to all your photo and video needs.